Britain’s top 50 companies are to be given unprecedented access to
government ministers in an attempt to spark life into the economy.

Bosses of companies, including BP and GlaxoSmithKline, will be able to
telephone directly to the top of Whitehall departments in new individually
tailored relationships with senior ministers who will act as their “buddies”.

The Government will announce soon the details of the new “strategic relations”
initiative led by Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint, the Trade and Investment
Minister, who as Stephen Green was chairman and chief executive of HSBC.